Ch 19

Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS)

Sections:
1. What is a Flexible Manufacturing System?
2. FMS Components
3. FMS Applications and Benefits
4. FMS Planning and Implementation Issues
5. Quantitative Analysis of Flexible Manufacturing Systems

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Where to Apply FMS Technology

The plant presently either:
Produces parts in batches or
Uses manned GT cells and management wants to
automate the cells.
It must be possible to group a portion of the parts
made in the plant into part families.
The part similarities allow them to be processed
on the FMS workstations.
Parts and products are in the mid-volume, mid-variety
production range.
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Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) Defined

FMS is a highly automated GT machine cell, consisting
of a group of processing stations (usually CNC
machine tools), interconnected by an automated
material handling and storage system, and controlled
by an integrated computer system.
The reason the FMS is called flexible is that it is capable of
processing a variety of different part styles simultaneously
at the various workstations, and the mix of part styles and
quantities of production can be adjusted in response to
changing demand patterns.

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Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) Defined

The FMS relies on the principles of GT
No manufacturing system can produce an unlimited
range of products.
An FMS is capable of producing a single part family or
a limited range of part families.

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Flexibility Tests in an Automated

Manufacturing System
To qualify as being flexible, a manufacturing system should
satisfy the following criteria (yes answer for each
question):
1. Can it process different part styles in a non-batch
mode? ( Part variety test.)
2. Can it accept changes in production schedule?
( Schedule change test.)
1. Can it respond gracefully to equipment malfunctions
and breakdowns? ( Error recovery test.)
2. Can it accommodate introduction of new part
designs? ( New part test.)
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No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
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Flexibility Tests in an Automated

Manufacturing System
1. Part variety test
2. Schedule change test
3. Error recovery test
4. New part test
The most important criteria are (1) and (2).
Criteria (3) and (4) are softer and can be implemented
at various levels.
In fact, introduction of new part designs is not a
consideration in some flexible manufacturing
systems; such systems axe designed to produce a
part family whose members are all known in
advance.
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Automated Manufacturing Cell

Automated manufacturing cell with two machine

tools and a robot. Is it a flexible cell?
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Is the Robotic Work Cell Flexible?

1. Part variety test
Can it machine different part configurations in a
mix rather than in batches? (If yes )
2. Schedule change test
Can production schedule and part mix be
changed? (If yes )

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Is the Robotic Work Cell Flexible?

3. Error recovery test
Can it operate if one machine breaks down?
Example: while repairs are being made on the
broken machine, can its work be temporarily
reassigned to the other machine? (If yes )
4. New part test
As new part designs are developed, can NC part
programs be written off-line and then downloaded to
the system for execution? (If yes )
(This capability requires the new part to be within the
part family intended for the FMS, so that the tooling
used by the CNC machines as well as the end effector
of the robot are suited to the new part design.)
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Types of FMS

Kinds of operations
Processing or assembly
Type of processing
If machining, rotational or non-rotational
Number of machines (n) (workstations):
1. Single machine manufacturing cell (n = 1)
2. Flexible manufacturing cell (n = 2 or 3)
3. Flexible manufacturing system (n = 4 or
more)

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Single-Machine Manufacturing Cell

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Single-Machine Manufacturing Cell

A single machine cell consists of one CNC machining
center combined with a parts storage system for
unattended operation.
Completed parts are periodically unloaded from the parts
storage unit, and raw workparts are loaded into it.
The cell can be designed to operate in a batch mode, a
flexible mode, or a combination of the two.
When operated in a batch mode, the machine processes
parts of a single style in specified lot sizes and is then
changed over to process a batch of the next part style.

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Single-Machine Manufacturing Cell

When operated in a flexible mode, the system satisfies
three of the four flexibility tests.
It is capable of
(1) processing different part styles,
(2) responding to changes in production schedule, and
(4) accepting new part introductions.
Criterion (3), error recovery, cannot be satisfied because if
the single machine breaks down, production stops.

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A single-machine CNC machining cell

(photo courtesy of Cincinnati Milacron)

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Flexible Manufacturing Cell

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Flexible Manufacturing Cell (FMC)

A flexible manufacturing cell consists of two or three
processing workstations (typically CNC machining centers
or turning centers) plus a parts handling system.
The parts handling system is connected to a load/unload
station.
The handling system usually includes a limited parts
storage capacity.
A flexible manufacturing cell satisfies the four flexibility
tests discussed previously.

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A two-machine flexible manufacturing cell

for machining
(photo courtesy of Cincinnati Milacron)

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A five-machine flexible manufacturing cell

for machining
(photo courtesy of Cincinnati Milacron)

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Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS)

A flexible manufacturing system has four or more
processing stations connected mechanically by a common
parts handling system and electronically by a distributed
computer system.
Thus, an important distinction between a FMS and a FMC
is in the number of machines: a FMC has two or three
machines, while a FMS has four or more.

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Flexible Manufacturing Cell (FMC)

Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS)
There are usually other differences as well. One is that the
FMS generally includes non-processing workstations that
support production but do not directly participate in it.
These other stations include part/pallet washing stations,
coordinate measuring machines, and so on.
Another difference is that the computer control system of a
FMS is generally larger and more sophisticated, often
including functions not always found in a cell, such as
diagnostic and tool monitoring.
These additional functions are needed more in a FMS
than in a FMC because the FMS is more complex.
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10

Features of the Three Categories

We have defined the dividing line that separates a FMS
from a FMC to be four machines.
It should be noted that not all practitioners would agree
with that dividing line; some might prefer a higher value
while a few would prefer a lower number.
Also, the distinction between cell and system seems to
apply only to flexible manufacturing system that are
automated.
The manned counterparts of these systems discussed in
the previous chapter arc always referred to as cells, no
matter how many workstations are included.
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Features of the Three Categories

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11

Features of the Three Categories Flexibility

Another way to classify flexible manufacturing systems is
according to the level of flexibility designed into the system.
This method of classification can be applied to systems with
any number of workstations, but its application seems most
common with FMCs and FMSs.

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FMS Types Classification based on

Level of Flexibility
1. Dedicated FMS
Designed to produce a limited variety of part styles,
The complete universe of parts to be made on the
system is known in advance,
Part family likely based on product commonality
rather than geometric similarity.
2. Random-order FMS
Appropriate for large part families,
New part designs will be introduced,
Production schedule is subject to daily changes.
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12

Dedicated vs. Random-Order FMSs

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Dedicated vs. Random-Order FMSs

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13

FMS Components
1.
2.
3.
4.

Workstations
Material handling and storage system
Computer control system
Human labor

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Workstations
Load and unload station(s)
Factory interface with FMS,
Manual or automated,
Includes communication interface with worker to
specify parts to load, fixtures needed, etc.
CNC machine tools in a machining type system
CNC machining centers,
Milling machine modules,
Turning modules,
Assembly machines
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14

Material Handling and Storage

Functions:
Random, independent movement of parts
between stations
Capability to handle a variety of part styles
Standard pallet fixture base
Workholding fixture can be adapted
Temporary storage
Convenient access for loading and unloading
Compatibility with computer control
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Material Handling Equipment

Primary handling system establishes basic FMS layout
Secondary handling system - functions:
Transfers work from primary handling system to
workstations
Position and locate part with sufficient accuracy and
repeatability for the operation
Reorient part to present correct surface for
processing
Buffer storage to maximize machine utilization

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15

Five Types of FMS Layouts

The layout of the FMS is established by the material

handling system
Five basic types of FMS layouts
1. In-line
2. Loop
3. Ladder
4. Open field
5. Robot-centered cell

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FMS In-Line Layout

Straight line flow, well-defined processing sequence

similar for all work units
Work flow is from left to right through the same
workstations
No secondary handling system
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16

FMS In-Line Layout

Linear transfer system with secondary parts handling

system at each workstation to facilitate flow in two
directions
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FMS Loop Layout

One direction flow, but variations in processing sequence

possible for different part types
Secondary handling system at each workstation
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17

FMS Rectangular Layout

Rectangular layout allows recirculation of pallets back to

the first station in the sequence after unloading at the final
station

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FMS Ladder
Layout
Loop with rungs to allow
greater variation in
processing sequence

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18

FMS Open
Field Layout
Multiple loops and
ladders, suitable for
large part families

AGV Automated Guided Vehicle

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FMS Open Field Layout FMS at Chance-Vought Aircraft

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19

Robot-Centered Cell
Suited to the handling
of rotational parts and
turning operations

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Material Handling Equipment for

FMS Layouts

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20

FMS Computer Functions

1. Workstation control
Individual stations require controls, usually
computerized
2. Distribution of control instructions to workstations
Central intelligence required to coordinate
processing at individual stations
3. Production control
Product mix, machine scheduling, and other
planning functions

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FMS Computer Functions

4. Traffic control
Management of the primary handling system to
move parts between workstations
5. Shuttle control
Coordination of secondary handling system with
primary handling system
6. Workpiece monitoring
Monitoring the status of each part in the system

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21

FMS Computer Functions

7. Tool control
Tool location
Keeping track of each tool in the system
Tool life monitoring
Monitoring usage of each cutting tool and
determining when to replace worn tools
8. Performance monitoring and reporting
Availability, utilization, production piece counts, etc.
9. Diagnostics
Diagnose malfunction causes and recommend repairs
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No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
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FMS Computer Functions Performance monitoring and reporting

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22

Duties Performed by Human Labor

Loading and unloading parts from the system

Changing and setting cutting tools
Maintenance and repair of equipment
NC part programming
Programming and operating the computer system
Overall management of the system

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FMS Applications
Machining most common application of FMS
technology
Assembly
Inspection
Sheet metal processing (punching, shearing, bending,
and forming)
Forging

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23

EXAMPLE 19.1
Vought Aerospace FMS
A flexible manufacturing system installed at Vought
Aerospace in Dallas, Texas, by Cincinnati Milacron is
used to machine approximately 600 different aircraft
components.
The FMS consists of eight CNC horizonlal machining
centers plus inspection modules.
Part handling is accomplished by an automated guided
vehicle system using four vehicles.

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EXAMPLE 19.1
Vought Aerospace FMS
Loading and unloading of the system is done at two
stations.
These load/unload stations consist of storage carousels
that permit parts to be stored on pallets for subsequent
transfer to the machining stations by the AGVS.
The system is capable of processing a sequence of
single, one-of-a-kind parts in a continuous mode, so a
complete set of components for one aircraft may be
made efficiently without batching.

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24

FMS at Chance-Vought Aircraft

(courtesy of Cincinnati Milacron)

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EXAMPLE 19.2
Flexible Fabricating System (FFS)
The term Flexible Fabricating System (FFS) is
sometimes used in connection with systems that
perform sheet-metal pressworking operations.
The system is designed to unload sheet-metal stock
from the Automated Storage/Retrieval System (AS/RS).
move (he stock by rail-guided cart to the CNC punch
press operations, and then move the finished parts
back to the AS/RS, all under computer control.

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25

FFS for Sheet-Metal Fabrication

Concept by Wiedemann

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No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

EXAMPLE 19.3
Assembly FMS at Allen-Bradley
Flexible automation concepts can be applied to
assembly operations.
Although some examples have included industrial
robots to perform the assembly tasks, the following
example illustrates a flexible assembly system that
makes minimal use of industrial robots.
An FMS for assembly, installed by Allen-Bradley
Company flexible automated assembly line produces
motor starters in 125 model styles.

2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

26

EXAMPLE 19.3
Assembly FMS at Allen-Bradley
The line boasts a one-day manufacturing lead tune on
lot sizes as low as one and production rates of 600
units per hour.
The system consists of 26 workstations that perform all
assembly, subassembly, testing, and packaging.
The stations are linear and rotary indexing assembly
machines with pick-and-place robots performing certain
handling functions between the machines.
Each step in the process uses 100% automated testing
to ensure very high quality levels.
The flexible assembly line is controlled by a system of
Allen-Bradley programmable logic controllers.
2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

FMS Benefits
Increased machine utilization
Reasons:
24 hour operation likely to justify investment
Automatic tool changing
Automatic pallet changing at stations
Queues of parts at stations to maximize utilization
Dynamic scheduling of production to account for
changes in demand
Fewer machines required
Reduction in factory floor space required
2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

27

FMS Benefits
Greater responsiveness to change
Reduced inventory requirements
Different parts produced continuously rather than in
batches
Lower manufacturing lead times
Reduced labor requirements
Higher productivity
Opportunity for unattended production
Machines run overnight ("lights out operation")
2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

FMS Planning and Design Issues

Part family considerations
Defining the part family of families to be processed
Based on part similarity
Based on product commonality
Processing requirements
Determine types of processing equipment required
Physical characteristics of workparts
Size and weight determine size of processing
equipment and material handling equipment

2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

28

FMS Planning and Design Issues

Production volume
Annual quantities determined number of machines
required
Types of workstations
Variations in process routings
Work-in-process and storage capacity
Tooling
Pallet fixtures

2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

FMS Operational Issues

Scheduling and dispatching
Launching parts into the system at appropriate
times
Machine loading
Deciding what operations and associated tooling
at each workstation
Part routing
Selecting routes to be followed by each part

2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

29

FMS Operational Issues

Part grouping
Which parts should be on the system at one time
Tool management
When to change tools
Pallet and fixture allocation
Limits on fixture types may limit part types that can be
processed

2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

Quantitative Analysis of
Flexible Manufacturing Systems

FMS analysis techniques:

1. Deterministic models
2. Queueing models
3. Discrete event simulation
4. Other approaches, including heuristics
Deterministic models:
1. Bottleneck model - estimates of production rate,
utilization, and other measures for a given product mix
2. Extended bottleneck model - adds work-in-process
feature to basic model
2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

30

Quantitative Analysis of
Flexible Manufacturing Systems

Deterministic models are useful in obtaining starting

estimates of system performance, but do not permit
evaluation of operating characteristics such as the buildup of queues and other dynamics that can impair system
performance.
Consequently, deterministic models tend to overestimate
FMS performance.
On the other hand, if actual system performance is much
lower than the estimates provided by these models, it
may be a sign of either poor system design or poor
management of FMS operations.
2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

Quantitative Analysis of
Flexible Manufacturing Systems

Queuing models can he used to describe some of the

dynamics not accounted for in deterministic approaches.
These models are based on the mathematical theory of
queues.
They permit the inclusion of queues, but only in a general
way and for relatively simple system configurations.
The performance measures that are calculated are
usually average values for steady-state operation of the
system.
Probably the most well known of the FMS queuing
models is CAN-Q.
2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

31

Bottleneck Model

Important aspects of FMS performance can be

mathematically described by a deterministic model called
the bottleneck model, developed by Solberg.
Although it has the limitations of a deterministic approach,
the bottleneck model is simple and intuitive, It can be
used to provide starting estimates of IMS design
parameters such as production rate, number of
workstations, and similar measures.

2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

Bottleneck Model

The term bottleneck refers to the fact that the output of

the production system has an upper limit, given that the
product mix flowing through the system is fixed.
The model can be applied to any production system that
possesses this bottleneck feature, for example, a
manually operated machine cell or a production job shop.
It is not limited to flexible manufacturing systems.

2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

32

What the Equations Tell Us

For a given part mix, the total production rate is ultimately
limited by the bottleneck station.
If part mix ratios can be relaxed, it may be possible to
increase total FMS production rate by increasing the
utilization of non-bottleneck stations.
As a first approximation, bottleneck model can be used to
estimate the number of servers (machines, ...) of each
type to achieve a specified overall production rate.

2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

What the Equations Tell Us

The number of parts in the FMS at any one time should be
greater than the number of servers (processing machines)
in the system.
Ratio of two parts per server is probably optimum,
Parts must be distributed throughout the FMS,
especially in front of the bottleneck station.
If WIP is too low, production rate is impaired,
If WIP is too high, MLT increases.
WIP : Work-in-Process (Number of parts in the system),
MLT : Manufacturing Lead Time.
2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher. For the exclusive use of adopters of the book
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Third Edition, by Mikell P. Groover.

33